Author: Paheja Siririka (Paheja Siririka)

Health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula has stated that the country is facing challenges stemming from the availability of illicit drugs and other substances, adding that it is devastating to the physical and mental health of the drug users. 

Erongo governor Andre Itope says his region has and is undergoing several enhancements in terms of infrastructure development to ensure it continues being Namibia’s bridge for the smooth trading of goods both regionally and globally. 

Chinese first lady professor Peng Liyuan teamed up with the Organisation of African First Ladies through its president, Namibia’s First Lady Monica Geingos, to assist Namibian orphans with medical checkups. 

Although significant progress has been made in controlling tuberculosis (TB), Namibia has been flagged as one of the top 10 countries in terms of TB per capita and is thus contributing to the high burden of bacterial infection in the world alongside Angola, Central African Republic, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Lesotho and Liberia.

China has managed to lift over 800 million people out of poverty over a four-decade period, and enlarged the middle-income group to over 400 million people, leading to corporations and trading partners of over 140 countries and regions.

The agriculture ministry has lauded the partnership between Namibia and China in the sphere of beef exports, which has yielded progressive results with sufficient scope for growth.

Cabinet has approved a donation of N$1.86 million to the Malawi government as humanitarian assistance to victims of Tropical Cyclone Freddy, which ravaged the landlocked African country. 

A low intra-continental, as well as global trade pattern by African countries, has been attributed to, among others, a lack of adequate infrastructure, climate change, structural problems, and lack of sovereignty or control of production. 

Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said Namibia has made significant strides in ensuring its population has access to clean potable water and can safely manage sanitation, especially for rural agrarian communities.

The health ministry says although Namibia has not yet reported cases of the extremely dangerous Marburg virus, there is a need to be on high alert and vigilance, especially at the main border crossings, as well as in public and private facilities.